ABSDF: Mon Ethnic Chairman Charged

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Subject: ABSDF: Mon Ethnic Chairman Charged under Emergency Act

Media Release
October 21, 1998

Mon Ethnic Chairman Charged under Emergency Provision Act

Burma's military junta has charged the Chairman of the Mon
National Democratic Front (MNDF) under the 1950 Emergency
Provision Act for his role supporting the Committee Representing
People's Parliament (CRPP). 

According to sources in Moulmein, on 9 October Naing Ngwe Thein,
Chairman of the MNDF, was formally charged at a township court in
Moulmein. A court hearing, consisting of evidence from
pro-military witnesses, was held on October 16. 

Seventy-five year old Naing Ngwe Thein has been detained since
the Burmese military began its crackdown on Members of Parliament
(MPs) in May this year. The crackdown was aimed at blocking
attempts by the National League for Democracy (NLD) to convene
parliament.  The NLD recently announced the formation of the
CRPP, which represents MPs from the 1990 election, and which was
formed to convene Parliament.

Along with Naing Ngwe Thein, two other MNDF officials and MPs
were also charged under the Emergency Provision Act. They are Dr.
Min Soe Lin, the elected MP from Ye township and
General-Secretary of the MNDF, and Dr. Min Kyi Win, who is also
an MP and Joint-General Secretary of the party.

Naing Ngwe Thein has struggled against successive military
governments in Burma to bring equal rights to his people. As a
youth, he participated in various political movements including
the fight for independence from the British. In 1988, he formed
the MNDF.

Foreign Affairs Assistant-Secretary for the All Burma Students'
Democratic Front, Zaw Min, said that the MNDF's backing of the
CRPP prompted the arrests.

"Given MNDF's crucial role supporting the CRPP, it's highly
likely that Naing Ngwe Thein and the two party MPs will be given
long prison terms."  

Meanwhile the NLD stated that the number of arrests of party
officials and MPs has now reached 979. It is believed that the
military regime has so far released only 23 of the detainees.
According to sources in Rangoon, the number of arrests of
political opponents of the regime since May is well over 2,000.

All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)

For more information please contact 01-253 9082, 01-654 4984